Accident Murderer: Wisconsin Man Dead After A Stray Bullet Discharges From The Gun His Homeboy Was Being Pistol-Whipped With!

Man Accidentally Shot Trying To Break Up A Fight

Police found two guns on the July 4th night a Racine man was fatally shot during a fight in the street: one near where the victim collapsed and another stashed between a fence and a car nearby, a Racine investigator testified Wednesday.

Xavier L. Cooper, 20, of Racine, was shot shortly before 11:30 p.m. July 4 on the road at 12th Street and Grand Avenue, according to police. Arsenio R. Akins, 23, also of Racine, was charged last week in Cooper’s death.

The fatal shot came from a revolver Akins reportedly was using to pistol-whip another man during a fight, investigators said. As Akins allegedly struck this man in the head with the gun, it discharged — striking Cooper, according to investigators.

“(One witness) said she observed a flash emitting from the barrel,” Investigator Don Nuttall testified during Akins’ preliminary hearing Wednesday.

After Cooper was shot, witnesses said he walked away and was found on the ground in the 700 block of 12th Street in an empty lot between two houses, Nuttall said.

When officers arrived, the .357-caliber revolver that was used to fatally shoot Cooper was found nearby between a fence and a vehicle, Nuttall said. Police also found a .380-caliber semi-automatic just out of Cooper’s reach where he fell, Nuttall testified.

“There are some people I’ve spoken to…who also placed that (.380-caliber weapon) as Mr. Akins’ gun,” Nuttall testified, but it had been passed to Cooper sometime before he was shot.

A witness said it looked like Cooper “was trying to break up the fight” at the time, Nuttall said.

Cooper and the man Akins allegedly hit with the gun had been friends until recently when some tension developed over a traffic stop, according to Akins’ criminal complaint.

He was just trying to help his frenemy out and got shot on some ol’ bullisht. SMH… R.I.P. Xavier Cooper.